Dr. Howard James Stains was born 16 April 1924 in Frenchtown, New Jersey. During the Second World War, he served (1943-46) in the U. S. Army, seeing action in SE Asia. Subsequently, he studied at North Carolina State College (now NCSU), obtaining his B.S. in 1949 and M.S. in 1952. While at NCSC, he met and married his wife Frances Cheek in Raleigh, NC. They proudly raised two daughters, Shelia and Terry, and a son, James. Dr. Stains attended the University of Kansas for his doctoral studies; he received his Ph.D. degree in 1955. Thereafter, he spent his career at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Although he taught a variety of courses, mammalogy and game mammals were his specialty courses. He expanded and curated the Department of Zoology mammal collection and conducted research on fur and fur-bearing mammals plus calcanea of carnivores. He published widely on many topics and was active in the American Society of Mammalogists plus other professional organizations. In 1976-77, he served as President of the SIUC Chapter of Sigma Xi. He was easy going, enjoyed teaching, and had a pleasant sense of humor, which was appreciated by colleagues and students. He taught through Spring 1984, but soon thereafter he took a long-term leave because of multiple sclerosis; he resigned SIUC in 1991. To be near family, he and his wife sold their home in Carbondale and moved to North Carolina. Dr. Stains died at the age of 80 on February 23, 2005 in Raleigh. Less